


No More Charades

by MistressNess



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black 2 & White 2 | Pokemon Black 2 & White 2 Versions
Genre: Drama, F/M, First Love, Happy Ending, Lemon, Romance, Sequelshipping - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-20 00:02:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3629175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressNess/pseuds/MistressNess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of the Heroine of Ideals, Mei and Hugh still struggle with the past and their fractured relationship. And not to mention, the nefarious scientist Colress is still at large. Will Hugh finally learn the truth behind Mei's charades, and will Mei finally drop all pretenses for good? The Sequelshipping spin-off that will conclude their story! Rated Explicit for fluffy lemon!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act I: Exposition (Reminiscing)

**_No More Charades_ **

_My mind is solely responsible for this spin on Sequelshipping, but the whole Pokémon franchise belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak forever and ever. Enjoy the show!_

_  
**Act I: Exposition (Reminiscing)**_

_  
Light cerulean eyes bore into his, glossy with the tears welling up in them. The uniform she wore, the very symbol of those he hated with all his might, was soiled with dirt and blood and also slightly torn from the battle. She was on her knees and held her wounded Snivy, Primrose, in her trembling arms. The small serpentine Pokémon bore bruises and cuts all over her little teal body, but the ghastliest wound was the bleeding gash below her left eye. His own Pokémon, his Oshawott, stood by his side, growling at the defeated two in front of them.  
But her eyes haunted him…the pain, the heartache, and the guilt that could be easily read in those blue depths.  
  
“I don’t ever want to see you again…you’re…you’re the same as **them.** ” He spat every word.  
  
Her lips trembled, as if on the verge of saying something.  
  
But, nothing came out.  
  
Instead, she got up quickly and dashed past him out of the clearing. In that brief moment, he could’ve sworn he heard her say in a broken sob.  
  
“I’m sorry.”_

Hugh woke up with a start, sitting up in alarm. He looked around, finding himself in his sleeping bag in the middle of the forest just off Route 6. His Samurott was still snoozing next to him, unperturbed by his Trainer’s abrupt awakening. He ran a hand through his spiky, navy blue hair with a small sigh.  
_  
This is the third time this week I’ve had this dream…I wonder where she is now.  
  
_ His hands fisted a bunch of the sleeping bag. He kept having recurring dreams of that battle from four years back; it felt like it was a lifetime ago.  
  
_Mei...I want to see you.  
_  
Before this whole ordeal, he and Mei were originally childhood friends. They grew up next door to each other in Aspertia City and even attended Trainer’s School together. They did everything together, always inseparable. During their last year of school, their relationship changed into a romantic one. Everything was sweet and innocent, typical teenage first love. Mei was so adorable with her blushes and shy smiles, and all were for him. For the short year they were together, they were happy and just enjoying life side by side.  
  
Then, everything changed.  
  
A few weeks after graduation, when he was playing with his little sister Hina and her Purrloin at Route 18. Their late grandfather had given Hina the Pokémon for her birthday and that was the very last gift she had received from him before he passed.  
  
It was just an ordinary day of fun and games…until a group of Team Plasma members showed up.  
  
Despite his best efforts to protect Hina and her Pokémon, he was easily swatted aside since he lacked a Pokémon of his own at the time. He could only watch in agonizing helplessness as Hina’s beloved Purrloin was snatched from her.  
  
And from that day on, he began to hate all of Team Plasma. He never told anyone the real reason behind his resentment…not even Mei. He was too ashamed to admit he was so weak that he couldn’t protect those dearest to him.  
  
Not long after the incident, he and Mei received their first Pokémon as Eggs from Mei’s father, who was a traveling Pokémon doctor. He was given an Oshawott while Mei received a shiny Snivy. Once Oshawott was born, he began to train with his new partner vigorously in hopes of getting Purrloin back from the detestable band of thieves.  
  
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and a whole year flew by.  
  
It was around that time when he had started to notice that Mei was going to Virbank City often, saying she joined some sort of club. At the time, he was too engrossed with training to really talk to her about it.  
  
Until one day, he decided to go to Virbank City to get some supplies for his upcoming Pokémon journey. He had everything planned out: he would tell Mei the truth about Purrloin, ask her to go with him, and they would rescue Purrloin together.  
  
When he reached the city, he saw a small group of Team Plasma grunts gathered by the entrance to the Virbank Complex. And to his outmost disbelief, he spotted Mei talking with them…wearing their uniform. From that moment on, all logical thought scattered to the winds. He kept his distance, keeping his eye on her until she started walking towards Route 18. Angry and downright betrayed, he tailed her. And once they were in the forest alone, he made his presence known to her. Mei instantly paled, her eyes widening in surprise.  
  
The memories came back in a rush.  
  
_///_  
  
_“Mei, you’re with those people!?” He snarled.  
  
“Hugh, I can explain…” Mei began to speak, but he cut her off with an impatient wave of his hand.  
  
“There’s nothing to explain! You’re hanging out with a bunch of thieves! They steal people’s Pokémon!”  
  
She tensed. “That’s not true! Team Plasma only seeks to free Pokémon from wicked people, those who abuse them!”  
  
“They’re liars as well as thieves!” He yelled.  
  
Mei stared down at her feet, avoiding his eyes.  
  
“Since they’re your new friends, perhaps you know where Purrloin is?” he asked her.  
  
Mei met his eyes again with a confused look on her face. “What? What do you mean, Purrloin?”  
  
“Don’t play games with me, Mei! You must know where she is!”  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hugh!” She cried.  
  
He did not believe her one bit. “Your precious Team Plasma stole something from someone very important to me: a Purloin with golden eyes!_ _That's the **only** Purrloin in the world that my late grandpa caught for my little sister!”  
  
Disbelief replaced her confusion. “Hina’s Pokémon was stolen by Team Plasma? I don’t believe that! They would never take a Pokémon from an innocent child like Hina! You told me Purrloin just disappeared!”  
  
Hearing her defend the loathsome group only irked him further. He was angry that she would associate herself with such people willingly. But, he also felt hurt because he thought he knew her to be better than that. Such emotions were waging war in him, and the resentment ended up winning in the end.  
  
And that anger would fuel his next actions.  
  
The next thing he knew, he challenged his girlfriend to a Pokémon battle.  
  
Mei was downright horrified, shaking her head in refusal, but Hugh wouldn’t have it. He sent Oshawott out. “Battle me, Mei! I **will** have you tell me where Purrloin is!”  
  
In the end, Mei reluctantly gave in and sent out her Snivy.  
  
///_  
  
The battle was brief but brutal. Oshawott, under his orders, showed little mercy on Primrose. He faintly noticed Mei’s hesitation, but he was too angry to care. Oshawott emerged victorious by slashing Primrose, who tried dodging at the last second, with a vicious Razor Shell. The attack got her small face, injuring her left eye.  
  
Their battle ended, along with their relationship, and that was the last time he saw her for a long while. He heard her parents cut off all contact with her after learning of what she had done and she never showed her face around Aspertia City.She was always in his mind, despite everything that had happened between them. He was still infuriated with her, and with Team Plasma. He continued training Oshawott and the other Pokémon he caught to get Purrloin back, and the time passed by.  
  
A few years later, Hugh heard Team Plasma was disbanded but a new one emerged in its place, and he was still searching for Purrloin. He was looking around Virbank Complex, where he heard rumors of Team Plasma activity, when he found a lone grunt. Hugh wanted answers and the man was more than ready to battle him when someone intercepted.  
  
And not even in his wildest imagination would’ve foreseen it would be Mei.  
  
She wore the new Team Plasma uniform and her face was a mask of cold indifference. The bright and expressive eyes he had loved so much were gone, substituted by a pair of icy blues that shook him to the core: there was no trace of the loving and cheerful girl in this stranger. And the way she battled him…she did not hesitate one bit, unlike their battle from long ago. She and Primrose obliterated him and his Pokémon. And just when he thought she was going to steal his unconscious partners, she let him go instead…and that confused the hell out of him.  
The day after, he was wandering around Virbank City, trying to think of another way to get Purrloin back when the most unexpected thing happened…  
  
_///  
  
He was pacing back and forth in front of the Pokémon center, deep in thought, when her voice called out to him.  
  
“Hugh.”  
  
Startled, he sharply turned around to see her standing there. She didn’t have her uniform on, looking startlingly different from the night before; she looked like a regular girl. Her expression was soft yet her eyes were faintly distant and guarded.  
  
“What do you want?” his question came out a little too callused, even to his own ears.  
  
Mei was unruffled by his tone, for she merely reached into the pink and white tote bag she carried, pulled out a single Poké Ball, and held it out to him.  
  
“Here.” she spoke softly. “I don’t know how she might react upon seeing you, given that she has evolved and all…”  
  
It took him a few seconds to figure out what was inside that ball, and the force of the realization knocked the wind out of his lungs in one swift _ whoosh.  
_  
It was Purloin…evolved, but Mei had Hina’s precious Pokémon.  
  
He took the Poké Ball from her, still stupefied. His mouth muscles were paralyzed from the shock, he couldn’t articulate a single syllable. A hundred questions raced in his head, trying to make sense of what she had done in the past and what she did just now. For what seemed like hours, he just stood there gawping at her.  
  
Her visage was the exact opposite of his current state of mind. Her eyes didn’t waver from his but her lips stayed in a straight line while her posture was disturbingly serene, giving no hints of being affected by the awkward ambiance between them. But then, a sudden strong gust blew into them, interrupting the tension. They both saw a large ship emerging from the complex area, steadily ascending into the clouds.  
  
“Oh no, they’re on the move. I better go help Touko and the others.” he heard Mei say right as she took out another Poké Ball from her bag and released a Swanna.  
  
He gathered his wits and spoke up. “That was Team Plasma in that ship, wasn’t it?”  
  
She gave a quick nod. “Yeah, and it looks like they’re heading to Nimbasa City. I need to go help my friends fend them off.” She climbed onto her Swanna’s back.  
  
“Wait!” He cried out.  
  
She paused and looked at him, her calm mien faltered with wonder.  
  
He wanted the answers to those questions that were bugging him, and take revenge on Team Plasma for what they had done to his sister Hina…and his relationship with Mei.  
  
“I’m coming with you.”  
  
///  
  
_ Together, they helped out Mei’s friends and defeated the Team Plasma grunts. Hugh and Mei took on the head of the group there, a woman named Delia, and her partner. Mei had told him that she was the one who had stolen Purrloin, and Hugh didn’t hesitate in expressing his fury through his battle. But, after the events in Nimbasa, Mei simply disappeared from his life once more.  
  
Now, it has been about seven months since then…and he still wanted answers. Hugh had been traveling all over Unova in the hopes of finding Mei, but nothing thus far. Sighing heavily, he got up, woke up his Samurott, gathered his things, and continued his trek down Route 6 and into Driftveil City. The once-quiet city was rapidly becoming a financial magnet, due to the Gym Leader Clay’s mining success. Hotels were being built, the small market was being expanded, and the old Cold Storage was demolished with a new, large compound being developed for trainers to come and show off their skills as well as their Pokémon’s…the Pokémon World Tournament.  
  
Hugh decided to stop at the market to gather supplies for his ongoing journey, needing more Repels and Full Heals. He was paying the kind clerk for the items when he overheard two men conversing both gruffly _and_ loudly behind him.  
  
“I still find it appalling that Clay has not shut down that damn, rundown house of a Pokémon lost-and-found center at the top of the hill!” said the first man.  
  
“And to think those Pokémon are in those Team Plasma scums’ hands! Why _is_ that place still there anyway?” asked the second man.  
  
“Because they are supposedly _former_ members of Team Plasma, and not to mention both Clay _and_ the Champion attest that their intentions are good.” The first man shook his head in disgust.  
_  
That_ got Hugh’s attention. _A Pokémon lost-and-found center run by ex-Team Plasma people?  
  
_ “Excuse me.” he said to the two older men. “Do you know where this lost-and-found center is?”  
  
The second man eyed him warily. “It’s on the hill north of the Pokémon Gym. But be careful, lad, those people aren’t trustworthy.”  
  
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” Hugh answered before taking off to his new destination.  
  
As he approached the large house, he grew nervy. He wasn’t sure if it would lead to Mei, but it was worth a shot. He stood in front of the building and one would’ve never guessed it was owned by former Team Plasma members. It made of dark red bricks with a pale gray brick roof and very tall. Primrose bushes lined the front of the building, and he saw a small sign on front door that read:  
  
_Primrose Pokémon Lost-And-Found Center  
  
_ It didn’t strike him as coincidence that the place was named after Mei’s Serperior.  
  
He brought up a hand and knocked on the door.  
  
He just stood there, waiting for what felt like an eternity, before the door opened and an elderly man stood in the doorway. His white mustache curled on both ends as he smiled at Hugh.  
  
“Good day, welcome to Primrose Pokémon Lost-and-Found Center. My name is Rood, are you searching for your missing Pokémon, young man?” he greeted him warmly.  
  
Hugh was taken back for a moment. _Would’ve never guessed this man worked for Team Plasma._ “Um, I’m Hugh. Actually, I’m looking for…my friend; her name is Mei. Do you know her?”  
  
The man cocked an eyebrow. “Mei? Well, I do know her. She lives here and helps out in the center, but she is out of town at the moment.”  
  
Hugh hesitated. “I…see. I wanted to thank her for finding a Pokémon I’ve been searching for a long time.”  
  
Rood’s eyes lit up. “Ah! You must the boy that was missing a Purrloin!”  
  
“You know about that?” The spiky-haired man was stunned.  
  
“Why, yes. You are the very reason why this place exists. Didn’t she tell you?”  
  
_What?_ Hugh was confused by the older man’s statement.  
  
Rood must’ve read his confusion, for he gave him a sheepish smile. “Oh my, looks like you will need to come on in.” he stepped out of the way and Hugh entered the house.  
  
Rood led him to the living room and Hugh took a seat on an armchair. Rood sat down across from him, his expression suddenly solemn. “First of all, I would like to apologize for the grief Team Plasma caused you and for the thievery of your Pokémon. Mei, other former members, and myself have been working for months in making amends for all the problems that our previous leader, Sage Ghetsis, had caused all these years.” He bowed his head.  
  
Hugh was surprised to realize that not only did he not have any resentment to this peculiar former member of Team Plasma, but actually felt _calm_ in the man’s presence. “It’s OK. All that matters is that I got Purrloin, well…now Liepard, back.”  
  
“I am glad to hear that. You know, Mei spent years tracking down that Pokémon for you.”  
  
Hugh’s eyed broadened with surprise upon hearing that revelation. “She…did?”  
  
“I’ve known Mei since she first joined Team Plasma; she was assigned to my group. She brought fresh energy to what I thought was a just cause back then. Until one day, her Pokémon Primrose was severely injured in a battle. The poor girl was in tears, cradling Primrose in her arms. After that battle, something changed in her.”  
  
All of a sudden, that heart-wrenching look from that day flashed through his mind. Guilt twisted his gut, as well as regret, for what he had done to both Mei and Prim.  
  
“That fateful day when the first Team Plasma fell, she confessed to me that she had stayed in our group in order to find a specific Pokémon for a friend. I was shocked, of course. Up to that point, she had been acting like a loyal grunt in the ranks, tending to the Pokémon that Team Plasma stole. When I was trying to figure out a way to fix Ghetsis’s mess, Mei suggested returning the stolen Pokémon. Some Pokémon remained and we were unable to locate their Trainers, so Mei had the idea of setting up a place where we would take care of those Pokémon while posting missing posters for Trainers to see.”  
  
The more he heard, the more unsettled he became.  
  
But, Rood was not finished just yet.  
  
“But, Mei still had not found the Pokémon she was looking for. When the new Team Plasma appeared, she volunteered to work as a double agent to find out their motives and find the Pokémon. In the end, she succeeded in both.” Rood smiled. “I admire that girl; it takes a lot of self-discipline and determination to lead two separate identities the way she did.”  
  
To Hugh, the revelations just kept piling up. _So…that night at Virbank Complex, I was battling her false identity._ He was dumbstruck at the thought of it; the girl he battled at that time was the polar opposite of Mei.  
  
And not once did she lose face in front of him.  
  
“You said she is out of town, do you know where she went?” he inquired.  
  
“Yes, she is at Pokéstar Studios. Tonight is the premier party for a film she is debuting in; it’s called _The Swanna Princess._ ”  
  
_So she works as an actress? After what I just heard, it doesn’t surprise me much._ “Thank you, for everything.” Hugh said.  
  
Sage Rood nodded with another gentle smile. “My pleasure, young man.”  


**/Pokéstar Studios, nighttime/  
  
**

Hugh adjusted his red tie, trying to get some additional room to breathe. It was a hassle to find a place that he could rent out a tux at the last minute, but luck was on his side. The theater still had a few tickets left due to the fact, according to the ticket clerk anyway, it was a B rated film with only two well-known actors in it: Icirrus’s Gym Leader, Brycen, and a very popular TV idol named Curtis.  
  
He waited in line with the rest of the crowd in front of the theater, hoping to catch Mei, when he overheard the loud and eager chatter of the couple in front of him.  
  
“So, how did you hear about this movie?” The man asked his dressed-up date.  
  
“Well, I’m a huge Brycen fan, no matter what movie he is in! But, I did hear that the young lady he’s co-starring with is quite lovely! It’s her big debut, you know.” The woman said.  
  
_She must be talking about Mei.  
  
_ “I see. I also heard the Champion herself is coming to this event!” The man said excitedly.  
  
“Oh my, that’s exciting! I saw her battle at the Unova Poké-Tournament months ago, she’s so cool!”  
  
“Agreed! So, how long _are_ going to wait out here anyway?”  
  
The woman chuckled at the man. “Patience. The actors and the VIPs have to arrive first, since they get to go in first and all.”  
  
Seeing the couple interact in such a carefree manner instilled envy in Hugh. _If things had been different for Mei and me back then, would we be acting like them now? Holdings hands, just laughing and enjoying being with each other?  
  
_ He found himself wishing for that.  
  
“Oh! There they are!” The woman’s happy squeal brought him back to reality. He followed the crowd’s gaze just in time to see a white limo pull up in front of the theater. The door opened and his heart stopped the moment he saw the person that came out.  
  
She looked like a princess, wearing a white gown with light blue feathers over the bust. Golden rhinestones lined the feathers and trailed down to a light blue brooch on her navel. White feathers lined the separated sleeves of her gown with a light blue fabric that layered the hem of the sleeves. A small silver tiara adorned her head with white folded wings at each end.  
The girl right before his eyes was Mei, he could recognize her telltale pigtails anywhere, but she didn’t look like any ordinary girl tonight.  
  
She looked like a woman… a very beautiful and captivating woman.  
  
His eyes followed her until she disappeared into the theater, vaguely noticing the remaining actors and the VIPs that followed her.  
  
Then, the doors opened for the rest of the public and everyone took their seats. He looked around for any signs of her, but found none. Feeling slightly dejected, he looked at his ticket. A Swanna appeared in the front, spreading its wings gracefully, with the silhouette of a woman behind it. And judging by the pigtails, he figured it was Mei.  
  
He couldn’t shake off the uneasiness at all. He felt like he didn’t know Mei at all anymore, seeing that she took in a completely different life with her run with Team Plasma, serving as a spy, and her acting job.  
  
The lights dimmed, indicating it was time for the film to begin. Hugh put away his ticket and forced his focus on the gigantic screen.  
  
_The Swanna Princess_ told the tale of a prince that was lost and wandered into an enchanted forest one day. When the prince came upon a lake, he saw a large number of Swanna playing in the water. Since nighttime was quickly approaching, he decided to spend the night by the lake. He kept watching the playful Swanna until the full moon appeared. That was when he witnessed one Swanna being engulfed a bright light, revealing a young woman in a blue and white gown. The beautiful stranger introduced herself as Princess Odette, who was put under a spell by an evil wizard. She was taken from her own kingdom when she was a child and cursed to be a Swanna by day and human at night. And the only way for Odette to be free of her curse was to destroy the evil wizard’s spell book.  
  
Touched by the princess’s plight, he agrees to help her. As the days pass in their search of the wizard, the prince and the princess fall for each other.  
  
As he watched the film, Hugh was entranced by Mei’s acting, from her saddest expressions to her breathtaking smiles that mirrored her joy. _She plays the princess role really well,_ he noted.  
  
In the climax of the movie, the wizard finds out of their quest and captures the princess in her Swanna form. He then tries to kill the prince by disguising himself as Odette, claiming that she found the book and destroyed it. Fearing for the prince’s life, Odette calls out to the other Swanna for help. At first, the prince falls for the trick, until he sees that her personality did not match with the girl that he fell in love with.  
  
The wizard, being called out on his lie, almost kills the prince when Odette, in her Swanna body, intercepts and is stabbed in the prince’s stead.  
  
The angry Swanna, with the prince’s help, attack the wizard and his Pokémon and destroy the book. Odette is healed by the magic of her broken spell and confesses her love for the prince. Hugh watched with disbelieving eyes as Mei, or Princess Odette, wrapped her arms around the prince and kissed him. His hands tightened on the armrests of his chair, turning his knuckles white, as he seethed with red-hot anger. He didn’t like how the prince leaned in for a second kiss or the way his arms circled her waist one bit.  
  
When the last scene ended, everyone in the theater stood up and applauded wildly. Hugh stood up, but was too angry to stay any longer. Fuming, he stormed out of the theater for he couldn’t get that kiss out of his mind. Even as he flew back home to Aspertia City, he kept thinking of the scene.  
  
The next day, his mood had not improved. He got dressed and headed downstairs, finding himself home alone.  
  
_That’s right, Mom and Dad are at work and Hina is at the Trainer’s School._ He plopped down on the couch and looked up at the ceiling.  
  
_Why can’t I forget about that kiss? Why does it bother me so much? Mei is not my girlfriend anymore…so I don’t have the right to get this pissed off about it._ He heaved a heavy sigh, putting an arm over his eyes.  
  
_Who the hell am I kidding? It pisses me off a lot. I don’t want any other guy to hug her or kiss her the way I used to do.  
  
_ Last night was a harsh reminder of what he had lost all those years ago. And it hurt, it hurt him a lot. He still loved her, after all this time and everything that happened between them, he still cared for her. He was angry at her before because he thought she betrayed him, but…  
  
_You never told her the truth about Purrloin. If you had, things would’ve been different,_ a small voice badgered him.  
  
And that was nothing but the truth.  
  
_If I had been honest with Mei about that, maybe she wouldn’t have joined Team Plasma at all…  
_  
He paused.  
  
_Why **did** she join them in the first place?  
  
_Back when all he could think about was getting Purrloin back, he didn’t bother to stop and think about that at all; he was too furious and wounded at the time to give it the time of day. Maybe he didn’t fully understand Mei now, but he knew she had a kind heart. She would _never_ steal a Pokémon from anyone, she didn’t have it in her to do such a deed.  
  
Then, it became clear that there were two questions that he wanted…no, _needed_ to know the answers to.  
  
The reason why she joined Team Plasma the first time, and another important question…  
  
_Can she forgive me for everything and love me again?  
  
_ Given what he had done to her Pokémon and the hurtful things he said to her, he wasn’t sure she would ever forgive him.  
  
_“You know, Mei spent years tracking down that Pokémon for you.”_ Rood’s words came to him, cashing away the uncertainty and giving him a sliver of hope.  
  
With his new goal in sight, he fetched his things and set out for Driftveil City.  


**/Driftveil City/  
  
**

Hugh landed in front of the Pokémon Center and withdrew Unfezant back into her Poké Ball. He was nearing the house on the hill when he saw a Swanna fly out of the house in a rush…with Mei on its back.  
  
_Mei!_ He watched her and her Pokémon quickly disappear into the clouds.  
  
_Where is she going in such a hurry?_ He sprinted towards the house and knocked on the door frantically. _Maybe that man Rood knows.  
  
_ “Hello? Mr. Rood!” he called out.  
  
The door opened, revealing Rood and a female Team Plasma grunt that was bound to a chair behind him. The scene made him arch a brow at the older man. “What happened?”  
  
“Oh, her?” Rood gestured at the woman. “She broke in, trying to steal the Pokémon in our care, when Mei fought her off.”  
  
“I saw Mei taking off with her Swanna. Where did she go? Please, tell me.”  
  
“She’s heading to Relic Castle to apprehend Colress, a scientist that worked with Ghetsis.” Rood’s aged face was weighty with distress. “I told her to contact Miss White and Lord N for assistance, but she insisted she could handle this on her own. Please, go help her. The man she is up against is very dangerous.” he begged.  
  
“No need to tell me twice, I’m going after her. Thank you.” Hugh sent out his Unfezant once more and climbed onto her back. “Unfezant, head for Relic Castle and double your speed! We must catch up to Mei!”  
  
Unfezant screeched and promptly took off from the ground. Hugh held on tight as they sped across the sky towards the Desert Resort.  
  
_Now…it’s my turn to help you._

**Author’s Note:  
Act 1 out of 3 is done! So now we know what happened between Hugh and Mei in the past. Now, Hugh is out to make things right with Mei. But, what awaits them inside Relic Castle? What is Colress up to now? Let me know what you thought of this spin-off through a review, I love the feedback! Stay tuned for Act II!  
_-Mistress Ness_**  
_  
_


	2. Act II: Rising Action (Rescue)

**_No More Charades_ **

_My mind is solely responsible for this spin on Sequelshipping, but the whole Pokémon franchise belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak forever and ever. Enjoy the show!_

_  
**Act II: Rising Action (Rescue)**_

  
Ever since she was small, Mei loved pretending …and she was very good at it, a natural. Starting with only imitating Pokémon, she wowed her parents and her classmates with her very accurate impersonations. As she grew older, she shifted to copying people. It was all innocent, of course, with pretending to be a doctor like her dad or a teacher like her mom.  
  
It was a fun hobby for her, having small glimpses of others’ lives.  
  
Mei sat in front of her brightly-lit vanity mirror in her dressing room at the Pokéstar Studios, dressed in the most beautiful gown she had ever worn. Tonight was the opening night of her very first movie, _The Swanna Princess_ , and her friends Touko and N were coming to see it. Since it was the premiere night, she was asked to wear her character’s dress to go with her fellow actors who were also coming in their character’s costumes.  
  
_It’s ironic how things have turned out,_ Mei thought as she adjusted her silver tiara.  
  
Not once in her childhood did she consider turning her pastime into a profession, but after the Team Plasma she originally joined was dispersed, she needed a good-paying job to help Sage Rood fund the Pokémon lost-and-found center. She took a chance and took her novice acting skills to Pokéstar Studios, where they were searching for a background character to be in a short teen romance movie series called _Love and Battles._ The director immediately noticed her and her character, Mina, and kept inviting her to come back to appear in more short films.  
  
And in just a few months, she was asked to star in a movie as the lead female role.  
  
She enjoyed herself during the creation of the movie, and she was happy with her job. But, a small sense of uncertainty ate at her joy little by little.  
  
_Why am I this fidgety? I haven’t been able to shake this feeling off, no matter how hard I try.  
_  
She had no problems pretending, even when she fooled both the old and the new Team Plasma…except for that one night in Virbank City when she battle her first love, bearing an identity that could easily be mistaken as her evil twin if she ever had one.  
  
That was the only time she _resented_ her gift.  
  
And even though she finally reunited Hugh with his sister’s missing Pokémon and everything was supposed to be done and over with…all of the false identities and the dishonesties still bore a heavy burden on her to this day.  
  
Mei rested her forehead on her hands, letting out a deep sigh. _All I ever wanted was to make a difference in the world. My job...is it…the true path I must take to achieve that?  
  
_ Soft knocking on her door startled her out of her inner conversation.  
  
“Miss Mei? The limousine has arrived and Mr. Brycen and Mr. Curtis are waiting for you.” A woman’s voice called from outside.  
  
“Oh, yes. I’ll be out in a second.” Mei called back, mustering her best calm voice. She glanced back at her reflection and saw the different emotions warring in her expression.  
  
_If I go to the premiere like this, I’ll just worry Touko and N and that’s the **last** thing I want. I can sort it all out later, but not tonight.  
  
_She slowly took in a deep breath, as she had many times in the past before slipping into a different persona. She concentrated hard on taking those needling sentiments and detaching herself from them.  
  
Calmness was all she needed at the moment. _It’s my movie debut, I’m excited for it and I’m happy that my friends are coming to support me. Everything is all right,_ she repeated the words like her job depended on it. And it was working; she started to feel serene and content.  
  
She opened her eyes and smiled in satisfaction. There were no hints of her muddled appearance from minutes ago, only leaving a pleasing look of contentment. She grabbed her things and headed out.  
  
Everything went smoothly, and she was happy to see the audience enjoy the movie. After the premiere, the actors and the VIPs were escorted to the private party. Mei had just finished conversing with the movie’s director, smiling at his endless praises of her performance, when she heard a female’s voice call out to her.  
  
“Mei!”  
  
She turned around to see her good friends Touko and N making their way through the crowd. Over the last few months, she had become close friends with the former king of the old Team Plasma and the Unova Champion. And Mei enjoyed their company very much, relishing the feeling of having friends once more.  
  
“Hi, Touko. Hi, N.” she greeted the couple warmly.  
  
“Mei, congratulations on the movie! You were amazing!” Touko gave her a big, affectionate hug while giving her a bright smile.  
  
Mei blushed out of modesty. “Thanks, Touko. I was so nervous at first, but this turned out to be a lot of fun. I’m glad you and N came to see it.”she smiled back sheepishly.  
  
“Did your friend Hugh also enjoy the film?” Touko’s harmless question caught Mei off guard.  
  
For a fraction of a moment, her composure faltered upon hearing his name.  
  
“He didn’t come.” she answered quietly.  
  
Touko cocked her head, wearing a quizzical look. “What? Why? Isn’t he your friend?”  
  
_Get it together, girl,_ she told herself, _It’s only natural that Touko would assume he would come. After all, she doesn’t know the whole story behind me and him.  
  
_ She felt her smile tighten. _Maybe I should tell her and N the truth._ But before she could that thought into action, a hand settled on her shoulder. She followed the hand to see her co-star, Curtis, standing next to her.  
  
“Excuse me.” Curtis bowed to Touko and N respectfully. “Can I talk to you, alone?” he asked Mei.  
  
_I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed by his interruption,_ she gave him a quick glance before returning her attention to Touko and N. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back. Enjoy the party!” She bowed slightly, then followed Curtis.  
  
The TV idol led her to the large balcony, away from the lively crowd.  
  
“What is it, Curtis?” Mei asked, even though a small hunch told her she already knew what he wanted to say.  
  
Curtis’s leaf green eyes focused on her, bright with affection. “I wanted to say that you were breathtaking as Princess Odette, Mei. Your elegance, charm, and beauty was quite a sight to behold while acting with you.”  
  
“Thank you, Curtis.” she flashed him a polite smile. “Your Prince Nathan was quite the character. It was a great performance.”  
  
Curtis reached out, seized her hand, and raised it to his chest. “Mei, we were so good together...why we can’t go back to that?” his voice was soft and heavy with longing.  
  
_I knew it,_ Mei sighed mentally. “Curtis, I…”  
  
“Did you even like me?” he cut her off.  
  
“Of course I liked you, but…”  
  
“Then, _why_?” he now held her hand with both of his while his eyes remained on her, teeming with expectancy.  
  
She turned her gaze away from him as a piercing twinge of pure guilt shot across her heart.  
  
After the whole new Team Plasma trouble, Mei was plagued by her attempts to adjust to a normal life after pretending for years...as well as her overwhelming feelings towards Hugh. Two months after those events, she was cast for the _Swanna Princess_ and that was when she met Curtis for the first time. The handsome and charismatic TV idol had every girl in Unova (save for Touko, who only had eyes for N) worship the ground he walked on, yet _he_ confessed to Mei three weeks into filming. She was so desperate to extinguish those old emotions in her heart that she accepted, hoping that he would help her get over her first love.  
  
Curtis showered her with ceaseless affection and gifts, spoiling her at every turn. She found him to be sweet, soft-spoken, and quite straightforward, despite his air of confidence that he paraded when in front of the screen. She grew to like him, even going as far as thinking that she loved him.  
  
But, the harsh reality of it hit her like a bucket of cold water when they consummated their relationship.  
  
She was playacting again, but this time she duped _herself._ As he made love to her, all she could think about was Hugh…and how she wished _he_ was the one touching her. When Curtis whispered “I love you” in her ear, she heard Hugh’s voice saying those words to her like he used to.  
  
Downright aghast of what she had done, she began to distance herself from Curtis until the day came when the filming was finished… _that_ was when she broke up with him.  
  
_“I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore.”_ was all she told him.  
  
Even though he was heartbroken, they managed to keep things coolly professional between them for the past three weeks because of the press conferences and promoting the movie.  
  
Until now.  
  
_It’s my fault…I was too selfish.  
  
_ She ended up hurting someone as kindand loving as Curtis because of her self-centeredness.  
_  
_ Mei clenched her free hand tightly. _He deserves the truth, you owe him that much,_ a tiny voice in the back of her mind chided her as if she was a child.  
  
She braced herself, letting her calm and collected farce slide, and she met his eyes again.  
  
“Curtis, I’m sorry for what I did to you. You are a good guy, and any girl would be lucky to have you by her side.” She paused, her determination wavering for a split moment before she gathered herself and continued. “The truth is…I’m still in love with someone else.”  
  
Shock took over his face, making his eyes broaden with unambiguous hurt.  
  
Her heart tightened with remorse, but forced herself to continue. “I’ve loved him for years, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving him. I wanted to get over him, and I thought I could achieve that by dating you. But, I was only fooling myself. I did like you, Curtis…but I _love_ Hugh.” She gently retracted her hand from his.  
  
Curtis was still speechless from her confession, merely gaping at her.  
  
“I hope you’ll forgive me one day.” With nothing left to be said, she turned on her heel and walked away.

**-Driftveil City, next day-**

Mei woke up in her room right as her Pikachu alarm went off with the Pokémon’s adorable cry ringing loudly. Stifling a wide yawn, she tapped the Pikachu’s head, turning off the alarm. She sat up slowly while rubbing the sleep off her eyes.  
  
After clearing things up with Curtis, she retreated back to the party that she tried her hardest to enjoy. She was so overwhelmed by her conflicting feelings that she had a hard time keeping up her cheerful demeanor. She was unsure whether the fact that Touko and N didn’t probe was a sign that they figured her out or not.  
  
She patted her cheeks in a self-chiding manner. _Can’t be thinking about this right now, I have to go take care of the Pokémon since I’m always awake before Sage Rood.  
  
_ She got out of bed, styled her hair into her telltale buns, grabbed her Poké Balls, and headed out to the backyard.  
  
Mei was absentmindedly picking Berries from the trees with Primrose while the Pokémon played around with Mei’s own Pokémon. Despite telling herself that she couldn’t think about the issues at hand, it was easier said than done. She couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened in the past, including the last seven months, and the event from last night didn’t help either.  
  
Prim noticed her vacant gaze and nudged her gently, letting out a soft, questioning whine.  
  
“Oh?” She snapped out of it. “Oh, I’m OK, Prim. Just a little tired, that’s all.”  
  
Primrose’s ruby eyes stared her down, as if she could tell she was lying.  
  
Mei chuckled softly and stroked her Serperior’s head. “Nothing slips by you anymore, huh Prim?”  
  
Prim leaned into her touch, causing Mei to manage a weak smile. “I guess I can’t get over him, girl. No matter how many times I tell myself that we can never go back to the way things were before and that our relationship is beyond repair…I still love him.” A dull ache loomed in her chest. “I miss him.”  
  
Her beloved Pokémon gently coiled herself around her in a comforting embrace.  
  
Mei was touched by Primrose’s gesture. “Thanks, Prim. I don’t know what I would ever do without you.”  
  
“Good morning, Mei.” she heard the elderly sage call out.  
  
Primrose let go of Mei and the brunette immediately straightened herself, not wanting to worry him. “Good morning, Sage Rood. The Berry trees are jam-packed this morning, I can make a great Berry pie for the Pokémon today.” she threw in a smile for good measure.  
  
“That’s wonderful, dear girl.” Sage Rood smiled back. “Oh, by the way, remember that young man whose Pokémon you found? He came by yesterday, looking for you.”  
  
The news delivered a deliberate blow to her “cheery” charade. Her mouth formed a small _o_ of shock and her eyes became as wide as the Berry baskets next to her. “Hugh…was here?”  
  
“Why, yes. He wanted to thank you for finding his missing Pokémon.” he informed her.  
  
_He was looking for me…_ Mei still couldn’t imagine Hugh coming to the center to find her.  
  
“Mei? Is something the matter?” Sage Rood inquired, inspecting her closely. “You look a bit distressed, dear girl.”  
  
Mei shook her head in fierce denial. “Nothing at all! Everything’s fine, sir. I just…need more Berries for that pie!” she quickly turned around to grab a basket, trying to shift her focus on gathering more Berries. _As far as not worrying him, that was one very lame attempt.  
  
_ “Mei.” He said her name with undertones of concern and curiosity. “Something happened between the two of you, didn’t it?”  
  
She flinched and tightened her grip on her basket, saying nothing.  
  
“He did not know you were searching for his Purrloin all this time. In fact, he was very much surprised when I told him. And judging by your very emotional reaction just now, you haven’t spoken to him in a very long time.”  
  
_The Skitty is out of the bag now,_ she sighed to herself quietly before speaking. “Hugh and I…were very close once. But, that changed not long after I joined Team Plasma. He was enraged because Team Plasma stole his sister Hina’s Purrloin; I didn’t know until that day. Remember the mission to find Touko at Virbank Complex?”  
  
“Yes.” she heard him say from behind her.  
  
“I saw Hugh there that night, for the first time in years. Then, I found Purrloin and returned it to him. I haven’t seen him since the attack in Nimbasa City; I just left him behind while I went with Cheren to help Touko and N at the Great Chasm.”  
  
“I see. But, you have reunited him with his Pokémon and it has been months since Nimbasa City. You do not have to hide yourself from anyone anymore, my girl, so why not reach out to him?” The sage’s question was the exact one she was trying to avoid all this time.  
  
She whirled around to face him. “I can’t because I…!” she stopped short, unable to finish that very vulnerable sentence out loud.  
  
_I can’t because I’m afraid to find out how he feels about me now.  
  
_ To her, it was easier to wonder if things could really be OK between them again; that things would’ve turned out differently for them if she had just chosen a different path. But the truth was, she still joined Team Plasma, their relationship crumbled, she fooled Hugh into thinking she was the bag guy, and she was still struggling to lead a life where she didn’t have to hide her real self from others.  
  
Keeping herself from finding out how she is seen in Hugh’s eyes would save her from another big heartbreak.  
  
Even if her heart was breaking little by little with every passing day.  
  
“Mei…” Sage Rood began, but was abruptly cut off a loud yell from above.  
  
“Garbodor and Bisharp, go!” Two streak of light shot down next to them and materialized into a Garbodor and a Bisharp.  
  
“What the!?” Mei cried out.  
  
Primrose looked up and hissed loudly, baring her fangs.  
  
Mei followed her stare to see a female Team Plasma grunt landing behind the two Pokémon with a third Pokémon, a Mandibuzz, while smirking widely.  
  
“My, oh my,” the woman drawled. “I see some fine Pokémon for Colress’s experiments. Now, hand them over or get ready to get seriously hurt.”  
  
_Looks like this will have to wait. She can lead me to Colress._ “Sage Rood, get the Pokémon inside. I’ll take care of her.” she stepped in front of the old man with Primrose.  
  
“Be careful, dear girl.” Sage Rood ran towards the Pokémon in their care.  
  
“Looks like you prefer to get hurt, then.” the grunt stated, keeping her cold brown eyes on Mei.  
  
“We’ll see who gets hurt.” Mei narrowed her eyes. “Those Pokémon are in our care and do not belong with you. Come, my friends!”  
  
Her remaining Pokémon, her Galvantula Pipsqueak or “Pip”, her Swanna Odette, her Arcanine Ember, her Excadrill Sandy, and her Espeon Carbuncle immediately rushed to her side.  
  
“Sandy, Ember, and Primrose, go!” Mei ordered.  
  
///  
  
“This is unbelievable, losing to a twit like you! Let go of me!” the grunt shrilled as she struggled against Primrose’s hold on her. After a quick loss, the grunt tried to run away but was too slow compared to Prim.  
  
Mei walked up to the caught underling. “So you were going to steal the Pokémon for Colress. Where is he?”  
  
“Ha! Give me one good reason why I should tell you, you little brat!” the woman spat.  
  
_She won’t budge that easily. Looks like I’ll need to step it up a bit._ Mei recalled the character she portrayed when infiltrating Virbank City, the cold and stone-hearted grunt, and slipped into it as easily as she could slip into her own clothes.  
  
Her calm demeanor slowly contorted into a look of icy antagonism, her lips curling into a humorless smile and her eyes becoming hard and unblinking. The woman froze upon seeing the change and Mei could see the nervousness creeping into her eyes.  
  
_Keep it up, she’s going to crack soon._ “I’ll give you one _very_ good reason: if you don’t tell me, well, let’s just say you won’t end up such a pretty sight to see.” She said slowly, her tone resonated with promises of retaliation. “Prim, you can tighten that squeeze. And guys, let’s show our guest what can happen we get _angry_.” She snapped her fingers twice.  
  
Since she had taught her Pokémon to act ferociously upon hearing her snap her fingers twice in a row, they knew what to do. Prim tightened her hold just enough to make a point, but not seriously hurting the woman, while the rest of her Pokémon marched up to her. The most convincing of all were Sandy and Ember, who roared and bared their fangs at the now-frightened grunt.  
  
“OK, OK! I’ll tell you, but please tell your Pokémon to back off!” the grunt squealed in fright.  
  
_Bingo,_ Mei grinned secretly. “That’s much better. OK, guys, back away.”  
  
Her Pokémon retreated but Prim kept the woman in her grasp.  
  
“Colress is at the Relic Castle! There’s a small group of us left and after Lord Ghetsis’s arrest, he fully took over.” The terrified subordinate cried.  
  
“Why is he having you all steal Pokémon again? What is he up to?”  
  
“I don’t know! All he told us is to gather as many Pokémon as possible, that’s all I know! I swear!”  
  
“Hmm.” Mei took a moment to make sense of the information she was given. _What is he planning this time? Kyurem is gone and Touko has the DNA Splicers hidden in the Pokémon League. This doesn’t add up.  
  
_ She looked at Prim. “Come on, Prim, let’s bring our guest inside.” She marched inside with her Serperior in tow and a swearing grunt in her grip. She had Sage Rood bring some rope and then proceeded to tie up the woman’s hands together, commanded Prim to set the grunt down on a chair, and finished by binding her to the chair with more rope.  
  
“Call Clay, he’ll have her picked up in no time.” Mei said to Sage Rood. “I’m going to Relic Castle to look for Colress.”  
  
“You should call Miss White and Lord N to assist you, Mei. You should not go there alone.” The elderly man’s eyes were full of concern.  
  
_I know I promised Touko to call her the moment I had a lead on Colress, but both she and N been through enough with Team Plasma._ She shook her head. “No, _I_ volunteered to go after Colress, so I’ll handle him on my own.”  
  
“But, Mei…!” she cut off the sage’s protest with a small hug.  
  
“I’ll be fine. I have my Pokémon with me. Just stay here, look after the Pokémon and this grunt, and call Clay. Please, do not have him contact Touko or N.”  
  
Sage Rood nodded slowly, but he still looked very worried. “All right. But please, be careful.”  
  
“I will.” Mei withdrew Primrose and headed back out to the yard. She withdrew the rest of her Pokémon, except for Odette.  
  
“Hey girl, would you mind giving me a lift to Relic Castle?” she stroked her swan Pokémon’s head. Odette cooed happily, spreading her majestic wings widely. Mei hopped onto her back and they both took off.

**/Relic Castle/**

Mei made her way down to the lower levels of the ancient ruins, battling a few Team Plasma grunts that were on patrol. Going down one last quicksand hole, she landed in the lowest floor. She stood up, dusted herself off, and looked around. Everything was dark, making it too hard to see.  
  
_I’ve been searching every floor for him, and zip. Where is he? It’s too dark here, I’ll have Pip help me out with his Flash,_ she was about to reach into her bag for Pip’s Poké Ball when a sharp shout pierced the darkness.  
  
“Genesect, Techno Blast!”  
  
A black and purple beam of light shot out of the blackness in her direction.  
  
With a startled cry, she jumped out of the way just in time for avoid the beam. But because it was too dark see, she ended up stumbling on a loose rock and landing awkwardly on her right ankle. Sharp, needle-like pain shot through her ankle, causing Mei to cry out. _Oh no, I think I sprained my ankle!  
  
_ “And here I was expecting to see the Champion herself and her partner.” A male voice spoke. Soft blue light suddenly filled the room, showing a few searchlights and the man that stood in the back of the room.  
  
_Colress!_ Mei noticed a tall, insectoid Pokémon that stood next to the blond scientist. It had a purple metallic body, a saucer-shaped head, and large red eyes. But what perturbed her the most was the mean-looking cannon mounted on its back.  
  
_What is **that**?  
_  
Colress noticed her stare and smirked. “Beautiful, isn’t it? Genesect was originally a fossil, and was one of the most ferocious hunters of its time. We revived it and made some…slight modifications. I’ve been testing its strength, trying to draw out its max potential.”  
  
Mei hissed in pain as she attempted to stand; her ankle hurt too much to put any weight on it. “That’s why you’ve been stealing Pokémon? To have them battle Genesect?”  
  
“Precisely, and the results have been favorable so far. Of course, Genesect got a bit…carried away with a few of them, but unforeseen incidents can happen in an experiment.”  
  
Bile rose in her throat. _Oh my Arceus, he’s **killed** other Trainers’ Pokémon just for a science experiment? He’s gone off the deep end!  
  
_“I was hoping to lure Miss White here to have her Pokémon become test subjects for Genesect. But…” she saw his golden-eyed stare focus on her bag. “I think yours will do for now.”  
  
The injured brunette hugged her bag tightly against her chest. _I can’t get away from here, so looks like I only have two choices: fight him tooth and nail or simply let him take my Pokémon away.  
  
_ She chose the former.  
  
She dug into her bag while trying to come up with a strategy. _That Pokémon is fast; I’ll need my fastest Pokémon to even have a chance._ With her choice made, she grabbed a Poké Ball from her bag and threw it. “Primrose, go!”  
  
Prim materialized in front of her and immediately noticed her current state. She slithered over to Mei, crying out with worry.  
  
“I’m OK, Prim.” Mei tried her best to reassure her. “Right now, I need you to focus. There’s a battle that must be won, for all your sakes.”  
  
Prim nodded and faced her opponent.  
  
A disturbing smile appeared on the scientist’s face. “Ah, a Serperior. It is a fast Pokémon, but is it faster than Genesect?” Mei observed him reach into his jacket pocket and pull out some sort of square-looking object. He inserted into Genesect’s back, causing the bulb on the Pokémon’s cannon to emit a red light.  
  
Mei struck first. “Prim, go for an Iron Tail!” Primrose leapt into the air with astonishing speed, her tail taking in a bright white glow. She hissed as she aimed for Genesect.  
  
“Genesect, Techno Blast!” Bright orange and red energy, very much like flames, shot out of the bug Pokémon’s cannon.  
  
Mei gasped. _Is that…?_ “Prim, brace yourself!”  
  
Primrose halted her attack and instantly curled herself into a ball. Mei watched in horror as the flame-like beam completely engulfed her Pokémon, then knocked her back towards her.  
“Primrose!” Mei called out. Small burns marred Prim’s teal and light green body and the serpentine Pokémon whined in pain.  
  
“Your Serperior is resilient. It was able to withstand Genesect’s Fire-type Techno Blast.” Colress adjusted his glasses with an approving nod. “Genesect’s cannon uses different disk drives that alters the element of its attack.”  
  
The blue-eyed girl bit on her lip in aggravation. _That scoundrel!_ “Prim, can you still fight?”  
Primrose was breathing heavily, but still managed a curt nod.  
  
“Primrose, Frenzy Plant!”  
  
Prim’s body became outlined in bright green and with a loud cry, she stabbed the ground with her tail. The ground shook, then giant roots with deadly-looking spikes erupted from the sand in rows towards Genesect.  
  
“Use Techno Blast again!” Colress commanded.  
  
Genesect leapt into the air and fired another flaming ray of energy at Prim.  
  
Mei reacted quickly. “Prim, dodge!”  
  
Primrose took her tail out of the ground and slithered sideways, but the deadly Fire-type attack still nicked her tail. She whined again, moving her singed tail painfully slow.  
  
“Looks like your Pokémon’s wounds is cutting down its speed.” Colress noted with a smirk.  
  
Mei hated to admit it, but he was right; Prim was wheezing heavily and it seemed like that last attack actually burned her.  
  
_She’s fading fast. I have to get us out of here so I can heal her, but…I can’t even stand._ Mei glimpsed at her hurt ankle.  
  
“Time to claim my prizes.” Colress chuckled darkly. “Genesect, finish that Serperior off with one more Techno Blast!”  
  
Genesect took aim at the weakened Prim and its cannon began to gather more flame-like energy.  
  
Mei’s blood ran cold.  
  
She reached out to her beloved Pokémon, screaming at the top of her lungs. “PRIMROSE!”  
  
“Samurott, Hydro Pump!”  
  
All of a sudden, a strong jet of water emerged from a dark corner and hit Genesect’s cannon. Thin strips of electricity discharged from the device before small wisps of smoke appeared.  
  
Everyone turned to see a Samurott march into the room…along with Hugh.  
  
The brunette was dumfounded. _Hugh!? What is he doing here?  
  
_ Colress looked at Hugh and then back at Genesect. “Looks like Genesect’s cannon needs some repairs and some improvements.” He then turned to Mei. “Looks like you’ll end up keeping your Pokémon…for now anyway.”  
  
“What did you say!?” Hugh growled at him.  
  
The scientist produced a gray, spherical object and smirked at the two Trainers. “I look forward to battling you again when Genesect is at its full capacity. Please give Miss White my regards.” He slammed the object into the ground, creating a thick and dense veil of smoke.  
  
Mei’s eyes began to sting from the smoke, but her priority was to get Prim back into her Poké Ball. She dug into her bag and quickly found the Poké Ball. She shut her eyes tightly to fight off the bothersome sensation just as she pressed the button.  
  
“Prim, return!”  
  
“Go, Unfezant and Luxray!” she heard Hugh call out right after her. Within seconds, the smoke was dispersed and a bright flash of light followed. Mei found herself able to breathe normally again and when opened her eyes, she found Hugh standing in front of her in a now brightly-lit room.  
  
“Hugh.” his name came out in a shaky whisper, her head still reeling from the shock.  
  
His eyes bore into hers, full of concern. “Can you stand?”  
  
“Um...” she tried to stand but the second she put weight on it, her ankle instantly gave in. She slumped back down with a sharp gasp. She looked back up at Hugh and shook her head slowly. “No…I hurt my ankle.”  
  
“No choice then.” Hugh turned around and crouched right in front of her. “Wrap your arms around my neck.”  
  
With a blush creeping in on her, she adjusted her bag and gingerly got on all fours. Her ankle stung, but not as badly as when she tried standing. She got herself up on her knees and quickly leaned on Hugh’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck. She became very much aware of Hugh’s large hands snaking behind her legs and taking hold of them. He slowly stood back up, keeping a firm grip on her.  
  
“Let’s take you home and get that ankle looked at.” he said as he started walking towards the exit.  
  
“How did you know I was here?” she couldn’t help but ask.  
  
“I saw you leave with your Swanna back at Driftveil City, and the old man Rood told me where you were heading.” Hugh answered.  
  
_He was in Driftveil City again…looking for me? Why? I don’t understand…_ Her thoughts raced in her head while her heart picked up a deafening and sprightly cadence. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t muster the will to ask them at the moment.  
  
The air around them was quickly becoming thick with uneasiness and tension.  
  
Mei daintily rested her cheek against his back. “…Thank you, for saving Prim and helping me.” she uttered timidly. _Oh Arceus…my face feels like it’s on fire.  
_  
Hugh said nothing, but his heartbeat thudded rather hurriedly against her ear.  
  
“…No problem.” His response was so hushed, she almost didn’t catch it.  
  
Not knowing what else to say, they both remained completely voiceless the entire way back home.

**Author’s Note:  
Act II complete! So sorry it took over a month to get this out, but with school testing, it’s been a zoo at work and I still have 5 more weeks until summer break. I’ll try to finish _No More Charades_ before break begins, but no promises! Thank you so much for the feedback, it makes my little author’s heart sing like an Altaria. Now comes the last act: will Mei and Hugh finally talk about their feelings and their unresolved questions? Will Colress be finally stopped for good? Stay tuned for it! Thanks again for reading this chapter, and please leave a little review if you can to let me know how I’m doing. Hope you enjoyed it!  
_-Mistress Ness_**


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